Israel asked Washington for advanced “bunker-buster” bombs and refueling planes that could improve its ability to attack Iran’s underground nuclear sites, an Israeli official said on Thursday.

It was reported that this request was made around the same time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, the anonymous Israeli official confirmed. אולם, given the sensitivity of this situation, he played down any conditions of Israel promising not to attack Iran this year.

Jay Carney, White House staff, responded “there was no such agreement proposed or reached” during the Netanyahu meetings with President Obama. When the White House spokesman was asked if this subject came up with the Defense Secretary or other officials, he answered, he had no information on that and suggested they talk with other officials.

After speaking with another U.S. רשמי (who preferred to remain un-named) it was confirmed that military capabilities came up in discussions between Netanyahu and U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta but he did not want to elaborate. He also said no deals were struck during those talks.

The Israeli P.M. made it clear to Obama at the White House meetings that Israel, as of now, has not decided about a military solution with Iran.

The thought of an Israeli-Iranian conflict leading to war is troubling to Obama, being up for re-election in November. Although the president has cautioned against creating more turmoil in the Mideast, he says that military action is an option if sanctions do not work.

Experts say, although Israel has the only arsenal of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, they do not have enough conventional power to create any lasting damage to Iran’s well-fortified nuclear facilities. Israel does, אולם, already have stockpiles of bunker-busting bombs and a small fleet of refueling planes but these weapons are older and not up to the job ahead.

Iran operates their weapons program under deep cover but continues to say their uranium enrichment is aimed at stockpiling fissile materials strictly for civilian energy usage.

Netanyahu repeats, sanctions against Iran have not worked, והוסיף כי “none of us can afford to wait much longer” in taking action against Iran’s controversial nuclear plans.

המנהיג העליון של איראן, האייתוללה עליי חמינאי, welcomed Obama’s support for finding a diplomatic solution to their impasse. אולם, Khamenei faulted Obama for the continued nuisance of international sanctions against Iran.

בינתיים, U.N. atomic agency met in Vienna to discuss their concerns over Iran’s nuclear aspirations. Six major nations involved came to this conclusion, “We call on Iran to enter, without pre-conditions, into a sustained process of serious dialogue, which will produce concrete results,”

U.N. then accepted an offer from Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator to resume talks.